Writer: Sean Murphy
Artist: Sean Murphy, Matt Hollingsworth, and Todd Klein
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: April 4, 2018
It's the penultimate issue of my favorite book right now and I can't wait to just jump into it. This series just keeps getting better art and storywise and even those who normally steer clear of elseworlds stories should give it a try. That being said, I'm just going to get right to my review. Was this issue good? Let's find out...
The issue opens with Sean Murphy showing us that last issue's awesome cliffhanger was only a temporary thing (for now) and that Jack has control of himself and the Joker...again, for now. We then go off to Batman and see that he may not be as dumb and savage as he was letting on this entire series.
We then head quickly off to Neo Joker and her goons getting a visit from...well, it's Jack, Harley and Commissioner Gordon at first, but that's when Joker makes another appearance. Everything is so rapid fire to start the issue that before anything can really settle in, Jack goes to get Batman out of Arkham and they strike a deal...the two of them take out Neo Joker, Jack confesses to all his crimes and Harley walks away free.
As the two are heading off to stop the madness, Sean Murphy lets us in on the biggest secret left hanging...what happened to Jason Todd. It's a big moment I'm not going to spoil and while I didn't see it coming, the answer fits this book so well.
We also find out more about what Jack/Joker knows about Batman before heading off to pay Victor Fries a visit. After learning that Nora is alive, Fries helps Jack and Batman with what little knowledge he has of his Father's legacy and it's time to roll. Batman has set up the G.T.O. with a fleet of real Batmobiles and after yet another relapse, Batman demands Jack rides with him.
I know that some people have thrown shade at this series because it features a not so great Batman, but this issue works to change all that. After showing Dick and Barbara that Alfred left Bruce a note before dying, he tells the two young crimefighters why he fights a neverending battle for Gotham and it is a great moment that leaves the brutish Batman we got to start this series way behind. The scene ends with a crazy promise of what will happen when this all ends. The issue itself ends with Batmobiles heading to end the Neo Joker madness and Batman getting all he can handle riding shotgun with him.
Sean Murphy doesn't disappoint at all here. The pacing leading up to the cliffhanger is near perfect and instead of the usual setup of this type of issue, we get a bunch of really great personal reveals that put the entire series in perspective and make what's to come that more important. I don't know how he does it, but this issue continues the trend of each issue looking better than the last and it all leads me to start counting the days until the final issue.
Bits and Pieces:
Sean Murphy continues impressing the hell out of me with this series. He uses the penultimate issue to show a better Batman than I thought we were ever going to see in this series as well as answering some lingering questions and issues. Along with the best art of the series, it all comes together to have me so pumped for the finale, even as I wish this series could go on forever.
9.4/10
THIS is a Batman comic worth reading. The regular series should be ashamed of itself.
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